Tabulating board



Sept. 27, 1938. o. BLITZ A 2,131,266

TABULATING BOARD FiledApIil 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR, 077'0 BL/TZ 15H/' ATTORNEY Sept. Z7, 1938.- o. BLITZ TABULATING BOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ma NOQU A @Ww H Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED" STATES TABULATING BOARD otto Blitz, oakland, Calif.

Application April 26,

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a tabulating board for use in accountancy, or the like arts, by means of which sales slips, or sheets of like nature, containing listed data, may be assembled With the f, corresponding data thereof in alined relationship to facilitate easy transference of the data, by an operator, to other records.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device of the character described which does not i require the use therewith of specially perforated,

or formed, data sheets.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a tabulating board in which the sheets are securely held in place to prevent accidental derangement thereof; to provide a tabulating board in which the securing means for holding the sheets operates to simultaneously clamp or release all of the sheets; to provide a tabulatingV board having an entirely level top surface unmarred by projecting pegs or other such sheet attachment means; to provide a tabulating board which permits instant reversal of the data sheets; and to provide a light-weight and sturdy board of the character described.

Additional objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a perusal of the following description forming a part of my specication.

Referring to the drawingsz.

, Figure 1 is a plan view of a tabulating board incorporating the principles of my invention. The board is shown in its unlocked position.

Figure 2 is a plan View, similar to Figure 1, showing the board in its locked position with data sheets and reading straight-edge in position thereon.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the clamp bars and their connecting links.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a data sheet adapted for use with the tabulating board of `my invention. Y

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the board showing how the data sheets are simultaneously reversed.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the board, drawn to an enlarged scale. The plane in which the view is taken is indicated by the line G-S of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is an enlarged plan view partly in section showing the locking means for the clamp bars.

In introduction, my invention comprises broadly, a frame having guides thereonin which is slidably mounted a plurality of bars `each having a surface thereof alined with a surface of an 1935, Serial No. 18,360

(Cl. 12S- 16) adjoining bar cooperating to provide a board having a level Working surface. Means are provided `connecting each of the bars together to permit limited relative movement therebetween whereby the bars may be moved into yspaced relationship to provide a plurality of spaced slits into which sheets of material, such as paper, may be placed so that they are disposed on the board in overlapped,'or shingled, relationship. Means'are also provided for vmoving the barsV into contiguous relationship, and locking them in this position, so that each sheet of materialis clamped between the adjacent edges of adjoining bars.

In greater detail, the tabulating board of my invention comprises a rectangular frame having a pairof parallel side rails 2 and 3 joined together Yat their ends by cross members 4 and G. The inner face of each side rail, as is best illustrated in Figure 6, is provided with a longitudinally extending groove I which serves as a guide, slidably engaged by the reduced ends 8 of a plurality of clamp bars 9 disposed transversely of the frame". The upper surface of each of these clamp bars is positioned in planar alinement with the surfaces of the bars adjoining it, and with the'upper surfaces of. the vside rails and the crossrmembers, so as to provide, as shown in Figure 2, a board having a level top surface.

Means are provided for moving the clamp bars into spaced relationship in the guides so as to form a series of spaced slits in the surface of the board' between adjacent edges of each bar, and means are provided, connecting each of rthe bars, for limiting the spacing therebetween; j j Y As is shown in Figure 3, the end 8 of `each clamp bar is provided with a vertically disposed slot II which receives the inturned end I2 of a link I3 secured by means of screws I4 to the next adjoining clamp bar. The proportions of the link, the position of the slot, and the-Width thereof, of each bar, are such that,` When the bars are spaced apart, a`slit I6, of about one thirtysecondof an inch in width, is formed between adjacent edges of the bars,'and, when the edges of the bars are brought together into adjacent relationship, the slot II is of suflcient width to accommodate the movement of the end I2 of theY link. i With the board inthe condition shown in Figure l, wherein the bars Y9 are in spaced relationship, it will be seen that a sheet of material, such as -the sales tag I1, having a marginal portion I8 and a main body portion I9k provided with dataA spaces 2|, may be placed in the board with the downwardly bent marginal portion, indicated by the dotted lines 22 of Figure 4, entering a slit IB and the main body portion overlying the surface of the board as shown in Figure 2. When as many sheets as desired have been placed on the board the spaced clamp bars are moved in the guides to bring them into adjacent relationship in order to close the slits I6 rand clamp the sheets therein.

Means are provided for moving the clamp bars and for locking them in adjacent relationship. Secured to the outer vertical face of the last` clamp bar of the series, by means of screws 23, is a rod 24 which extends through an aperture 26 formed in a bushing 2l which is secured in the cross member 4. The outer portion 28 of the rod is of reduced diameter upon which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 29 provided at one end with a knurled handwheel 3| and at the other end with .a screw thread 321 which engages mating threads 33 formed in the bushing. A screw 34-is threaded into the end of the rod 28 to prevent-movement of the sleeve 29 beyond the end thereof.

Withthe-parts in the positions shown by the solid'lines of Figure 7, the bars 9 are all in adjacent relationship, the'screw thread 32 affording meansfor applying considerable pressure thereto 'to' clamp the data sheets Vagainst dislodgment from the slits. .However, as soon as the handwheel 3| is rotated sufficiently to release the threads 32 from the bushing, so that the sleeve 29 may be moved outwardly, to the position shown by the dotted line 3B, the pressure is released, and the rod 24 is then free to be pulled by the `operator through the aperture 26, thus moving the last clamp bar, above referred to, to a position adjacent the cross member 4 whereupon'the other bars, due to their interconnection with the last bar of the group, are also moved into spaced relationship one with the other.

In order to cover the space 3l between the lcross member 4 and last clamp bar of the group, a thin `sheet metal' apron 38 is provided with a downwardly directed flange 39 which may be attached to the bar 9 by suitable means, prefer-V ably by'wood screws.

It is the usual practice in business houses such as laundries or distributors of dairy products to provide their truck men with tags, similar to those illustrated in Figure 4, having the various items of stock listed thereon so that all that is required of Ythe driver, upon making a delivery,

-is to check the number of items disposed of on the tag and write in the address to which they were delivered. The filling in of the price and other data is often left to clerical help at the store as it has been found that this procedure greatly speeds up delivery and eliminates possible chances of error.

Thus it will be seen that each of the tags l1 positioned on the board in Figure 2 contains similar listed data and that when so positioned it is a simple matter for a clerk to obtain sales threaded a screw 46 provided with a winged head 4l and a plate at the inner end thereof which bears against 4the surface of the cross member. The screw 46 may be adjusted to regulate the pressure with which the clip 42 and the screw plate engage the surfaces so as to provide suicient friction therebetween so that the straightedge may not be accidently shifted, by shocks imparted to the board, once it is set, but may be freely moved by the operator transversely of the board.

In some instances the tags I1 carry data on the reverse sides thereof which must be referred to in the course of tabulation. With reference to Figure 5, it will be seen that reversal of several or all of the tags may be readily accomplished by removing the straight-edge from the board and raising the last tag at the right hand of the gure, whereupon by passing the hand along the surface of the board toward the left, each tag, as it is lifted will assist in lifting several of the tags before it, with the result that, when the hand has kreached the left hand'end of the board, all of the tags will have been reversed. A reversal of this procedure will again restore the tags to their' former positions.

In reiteration,` the tabulation board of my invention may be employed with any loose-leaf tag or data sheet;l the sheets may not be readily displaced therefrom due to their being securely clamped against such displacement; no specially prepared tags or sheets having perforations, or

other means of attachment, are required for use" with the board; andthe tags may all be simultaneously clamped or released and readily removed or replaced.

I claim:

1. A tabulating board comprising a plurality of parallel relatively Vmovable members, means disposed between two of said members for limiting the degree of movement between it and an adjoining member to provide an opening therebetweenl` into which objects may be placed, and means for clamping allof said members together to clamp said objects'in said openings.

2. Atabulating board comprising a frame havinga pair of parallel guides thereon, a plurality of parallelly disposed members engaging 'said guides and slidably* movable longitudinally thereof, meansvsecured to each of said members and engagingan adjoining member for limiting lof said members together to close said openings to clamp said objects therein.

3. A tabulating board comprising a frame having a pairV of vparallel guides thereon, a plurality of parallelly disposed members engaging said guides and slidably movable longitudinally thereof, means secured to each of said members and engaging an adjoining member for limiting the degree of relative movement therebetween to provide an opening, between each pair of said members; of predetermined width into which objects may be placed, means passing through said frame and secured to one of said members for movingsaid members in said guides, and means for locking said. moving means to said frame.

4. A tabulating board comprising a frame having apair of parallel guides thereon, a plu rality of parallelly disposed members engaging said guides and slidably movable longitudinally thereof, means secured to each of said members and engaging an adjoining member for limiting Y the degree of relative movement therebetween to provide an opening, between each pair of said members, of predetermined width into which objects may be placed, said means comprising a link secured to each of said membersl and movable relatively with an adjoining member into engagement therewith, and means for clamping all of said members together to close said openings to clamp said objects therein.

5. A tabulating board comprising a frame having a pair of parallel guides thereon, a plurality of parallelly disposed members engaging said guides and slidab-ly movable longitudinally thereof, each of said members having a vertically disposed notch therein, a link secured to each of said members and having a portion thereof entering said notch for limiting the degree of relative movement between said members to provide therebetween an opening of predetermined Width into which objects may be placed, and means for clamping all of said members together to close said openings to clamp said objects therein.

6. A tabulating board comprising a. rectangular frame having a pair of lparallel guides thereon, a plurality of parallelly disposed members engaging said guides and slidably movable longitudinally of said frame, said members being movable from spaced positions adjacent one end of said frame to contiguous positions adjacent the other end of said frame so as to provide an open space between one of said members and a portion of said frame, and a plate secured to one of said members and disposed in parallel relationship with said frame for closing said open space.

7. A tabulating board comprising a rectangular frame having a pair of parallel guides thereon, a plurality of parallelly disposed members engaging 'said guides and slidably movable from mutually contiguous positions adjacent one end of said frame so as to provide a space between one of said members and said frame, to spaced positions in said frame so as to provide a plurality of spacesl therebetween, and a plate secured to one of said members and movable therewith, said plate closing said space between one of said members and said frame when said members are in contiguous relationship.

OTTO BLITZ. 

